Protector

Hi everyone! This one-shot is a request from Aaronna, who asked for a story with Percival as the focus. It is based on Season 4, Episode 1 'The Darkest Hour', so dialogue has been taken from there and there are some minor spoilers for that episode – nothing major though.

Disclaimer: I do not own the show 'Merlin', the characters in the show, or the episode 'The Darkest Hour' from which some dialogue has been borrowed.

Hope you like it!

….

He turned back, raising his torch to show him the way in the darkness. The noise came again, a soft whimpering sound that seemed to be coming from behind a few barrels. He walked forward cautiously, holding the torch aloft in front of him. As he walked towards the source of the sound, a small child was suddenly thrown into the light. Sitting quite calmly, cross-legged on the ground, she looked up at the knight with large eyes.

"Hey, hey", he said softly, advancing slowly so as not to frighten her. "It's alright. You'll be alright." As he leaned forward his torch cast light on the surrounding area, revealing two more children hiding behind the barrels. He bit his lip, considering the possibilities. The children stared up at him anxiously, as if waiting to see what he would do. He looked at the torch in his hand, raising his eyebrows as a crazy idea came into his mind…

A moment later he was running along the street, the children gathered into his well-muscled arms. He paused and hefted them up higher, not wanting them to slip, then took off again, his back hunched to stop anything from getting to the children. He heard the unmistakable screams of the Dorocha behind him and sped up, but it was difficult to run whilst carrying three children and he could hear the Dorocha's shrieks nearing. As he felt the rush of cold air that preceded the spirits' arrival, he felt a sense of dread fill him. His feet lagged, but still he tried to run. He had to save the children. He didn't care if he died, so long as the children were safe.

As the Dorocha's shrieks sounded right next to him he was certain that he would die, but no pain came. A bright flare of light shone behind him, and he turned to see Elyan fending off the spirits with a flaming torch. With a final screech, the Dorocha fled, blending back into the night sky.

Scarcely a minute later, the peasants crowded into one house jumped as someone banged on the door. The door was flung open to reveal two of the knights of Camelot, Sir Percival and Sir Elyan, carrying three small children. With cries of thankfulness the mothers sprang up from their places around the fire. The knights handed the children to their mothers who grasped them tightly, kissing them and murmuring comforting words into their hair. Elyan grinned at Percival, who raised an eyebrow at the dark-haired knight.

"Thanks", he said casually, as if Elyan hadn't just saved his life. Elyan smiled knowingly.

"Couldn't let you have all the glory now, could I?" he asked. Percival just grinned.

…

Hope you liked this one! If you have any requests for a one-shot based on a particular character/ characters, please send them to me. I hope everybody has a safe and happy Christmas with family and friends.

Love Camelotpointe.